Everything You Need To Know About Stars

What are called stars?

Nothing can soothe your soul than staring at the bright little stars that rest in the dark sky. Do you think it looks the same way it does to us?  Not at all. Stars are always a mystery! This article focuses on the unknown facts about stars. Read along to know more about the age of stars, average size of a star, and star characteristics. 

What are stars made of?

Stars are spheres in nature and are made up of plasma. Yes, the shape we think of a star is completely different from its real shape. A slow rotating cloud that is almost made of helium and hydrogen collapses inward and shrinks due to the gravitational pull with quick spin turns into a rough sphere. 

Fascinating facts about stars

• The world astronomers have discovered 12 different sets of stars and are named after an English letter namely, (O, B, A, F, G, K, M, R, N, T, Y).
• Binary stars are stars that travel in clusters. These types of stars share the same center of gravity.
• There are around 400 billion estimated stars in the milky way galaxy.
• The Sun is identified as a normal size star and is 4.5 billion years old. Around one million earths could fit inside the sun.
• Only around 7000 stars are visible to human eyes.  The average lifespan of a star is between 1 and 10 billion years, but some are discovered to live more than that.
• The color of a star can indicate its temperature. Blue stars are hotter than red stars, which are cooler.
• When a star dies, it can explode in a supernova, leaving behind a remnant such as a neutron star or black hole.

How do scientists calculate the age of a star?

Below listed are the methods handled by scientists to calculate the age of stars. 

• Cluster age dating

The stars in a cluster are thought to have formed from the same cloud of gas and dust, giving them a similar age. Scientists can determine the cluster’s age and, consequently, the age of its stars, by examining the features of the cluster and its stars.

• Nuclear chronometers

The age of a star can be calculated from the known rates of decay of several radioactive isotopes found in stars. One method to determine the age of a star is to look at the ratio of specific uranium and thorium isotopes.

• Asteroseismology

This technique includes examining the oscillations, or “starquakes,” that some kinds of stars experience. The frequency and pattern of these oscillations can be analyzed to determine the star’s age.